Courts / Wicklow / Report
Woman sobs as she's told she'll be jailed for making false sex assault allegation
Summary
Denise Cribbin, 45, of Stepaside, Co Wicklow, was sentenced to a two‑year wholly suspended term for making a false statement under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, quashed the original sentence and imposed a one‑year custodial term. Cribbin, who had pleaded guilty in July 2020, was told she would be taken into custody to begin her sentence. The offence stemmed from a false allegation of sexual assault made after a single‑car crash on 12 July 2016, involving Cribbin and the injured party. The court noted the statement was false after witness interviews contradicted it. Cribbin will report to Stepaside Garda Station before 5 pm on Friday to be taken into custody.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman sobs as she's told she'll be jailed for making false sex assault allegation. Charges or matters: making a false statement contrary to Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976; the to making a false statement in July 2020. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- July 12, 2016 Incident
- April 2017 Incident
- August 2018 Incident
- July 2020 Incident
- 2022-03-08 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: making a false statement contrary to Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976; the to making a false statement in July 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Denise Cribbin (45), of Stepaside, Co Wicklow, was given a two-year wholly suspended sentence after she pleaded guilty to making a false statement contrary to Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976. Cribbin will now present herself to gardai at Stepaside Garda Station before 5pm this Friday, when she will be taken into custody to begin her sentence.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- to gardai at Stepaside Garda Station
Topics
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